This simple Kale, White Bean and Orzo Soup is made with a cozy lemony-rosemary broth and can be ready to go in just 30 minutes. Anyone else craving simple, healthy(ish), ultra-cozy soups on repeat right about now? Well here’s a good one to add to your repertoire. ♡ We often turn to classic white bean […]
This simple Kale, White Bean and Orzo Soup is made with a cozy lemony-rosemary broth and can be ready to go in just 30 minutes.
Anyone else craving simple, healthy(ish), ultra-cozy soups on repeat right about now?
Well here’s a good one to add to your repertoire. ♡
We often turn to classic white bean and kale soup here in our house when we’re craving a quick bowl of soup, made with whatever extra ingredients happen to be hanging out in the crisper drawer. But this particular version made with chewy al dente orzo pasta, a slightly-spicy lemon rosemary broth, with lots of fresh Parmesan sprinkled on top has been totally hitting the spot this winter.
It’s an absolute breeze to make and comes together from start to finish in just 30 minutes or so. It’s naturally vegetarian and also vegan (if you nix the Parmesan), and chock-full of fresh kale and lots of protein. It’s completely customizable with whatever fresh herbs, beans, or pasta shapes that you happen to have on hand. And it is just the type of warm and comforting meal that I find myself craving this time of year.
Feel free to add in some extra protein (bacon, chicken, or sausage would be delicious) if you’d like. And if you happen to have some good crusty bread on hand, I highly recommend using it to mop up that delicious broth. But otherwise, this is a satisfying vegetarian soup recipe all on its own that I think you’re going to love.
So grab some kale and let’s make some soup together, friends!
Olive lovers, tapenade is for you! Tapenade is an olive spread or dip hailing from the Provence region in France. It’s bold, zippy, briny and salty, though…
Olive lovers, tapenade is for you! Tapenade is an olive spread or dip hailing from the Provence region in France. It’s bold, zippy, briny and salty, though we’ll be sure to keep the salt level in check.
Served with crostini or crackers, tapenade is a wonderful appetizer with drinks. It offers some welcome contrast when served with creamy dips, like hummus or spinach artichoke dip. You can also spread it onto sandwiches, dollop it onto salads, and more. Tapenade will keep for a week or two in the fridge, so you’ll find many uses for it.
Tapenade is named after the Provençal word for capers, tapenas. Over the years, olives have become the predominant ingredient, and I used capers as a subtle accent. Similar olive spreads have been served in the Mediterranean for ages, which is why tapenade is a natural pairing with your favorite Mediterranean flavors.
Traditional tapenade also includes anchovies, but being vegetarian, I omitted them. This dip is loaded with complex flavor regardless, and it’s suitable for vegans and those with shellfish allergies as well.
To make this easy tapenade, you’ll need just a few basic ingredients and a food processor. It comes together in about 10 minutes with mostly pantry ingredients! You’ll need Castelvetrano and Kalamata olives, fresh parsley, capers, olive oil, garlic and lemon juice. Let’s make some already.
This hot spinach artichoke dip is pure comfort food. Sign me up. This dip recipe comes together in under 20 minutes with basic ingredients: spinach, artichoke, cream…
This hot spinach artichoke dip is pure comfort food.Sign me up. This dip recipe comes together in under 20 minutes with basic ingredients: spinach, artichoke, cream cheese, sour cream, plus green onions and poblano pepper or bell pepper.
We’ll cook the green onions until they’re a little golden and frazzled around the edges, which is an easy way to yield tons of flavor. I’m obsessed with using lightly spicy, tender poblanos in this recipe (a great twist on standard spinach artichoke dip) but you can use a red bell pepper for a mild dip (also delicious!).
The end result is not the most beautiful dip in the world, but it’s definitely amongst the most tasty. It’s creamy and indulgent, yet tastes fresh and full of flavor. This dip is fully loaded with veggies and greens, so it’s actually more redeeming than you might think.
I hope you’ll whip together this spinach artichoke dip on the holidays, or for movie nights, or just any time you get a hankering for it. I’m daydreaming about serving this dip at parties next year!
This Instant Pot hummus is super creamy and easy to make from scratch using a pressure cooker! You’ll be hooked on the flavor. Here’s a fun trick you can whip up with your pressure cooker: Instant Pot hummus! Sure, it’s easy to buy store-bought hummus. But for the very best creamy chickpea puree: homemade hummus is where it’s at! It’s a great trick using your Instant Pot, and perfect if you whip up a big batch of chickpeas. This recipe comes straight to you from our friend Sarah Copeland’s new cookbook, Instant Family Meals: an incredible collection of beautiful recipes and genius tips for your pressure cooker. Let’s get started! Why make Instant Pot hummus? Hummus has grown from a niche food (when we were kids!) to a household staple today. Really, I don’t know what our household would do without it! We do buy our hummus often, but when we can, we like to make it at home. Which is why we love this hummus recipe from Sarah’s book! Why make Instant Pot hummus? It’s got the best flavor. Many purchased hummus brands can be overly intense and garlicky, or too bland. Homemade hummus has just the right integrity […]
This Instant Pot hummus is super creamy and easy to make from scratch using a pressure cooker! You’ll be hooked on the flavor.
Here’s a fun trick you can whip up with your pressure cooker: Instant Pot hummus! Sure, it’s easy to buy store-bought hummus. But for the very best creamy chickpea puree: homemade hummus is where it’s at! It’s a great trick using your Instant Pot, and perfect if you whip up a big batch of chickpeas. This recipe comes straight to you from our friend Sarah Copeland’s new cookbook, Instant Family Meals: an incredible collection of beautiful recipes and genius tips for your pressure cooker. Let’s get started!
Why make Instant Pot hummus?
Hummus has grown from a niche food (when we were kids!) to a household staple today. Really, I don’t know what our household would do without it! We do buy our hummus often, but when we can, we like to make it at home. Which is why we love this hummus recipe from Sarah’s book! Why make Instant Pot hummus?
It’s got the best flavor. Many purchased hummus brands can be overly intense and garlicky, or too bland. Homemade hummus has just the right integrity in flavor.
It’s cheaper! Some hummus brands can be quite expensive: homemade hummus in an Instant Pot is cheaper than buying lots of hummus tubs.
It’s a great use for a batch of chickpeas. If you cook up a big batch of chickpeas in your Instant Pot, what better way to use them? Use half for hummus and half for eating.
About the book: Instant Family Meals
This recipe is from the book Instant Family Meals by our dear friend Sarah Copeland, and it truly is a masterpiece! This collection of recipes is beautifully fresh, modern and sophisticated: just like Sarah’s recipes always are. (Her other cookbooks Feast and Every Day is Saturday are both big hits in our house!)
You’ll find recipes like Sweet Potato Tacos, Eggplant Parmesan, Cacio e Pepe Risotto, and Double Chocolate Cheesecake. Yes, please! There are wholesome healthy recipes for people of every diet, including lots for vegetable-forward eaters like ourselves. Congratulations to Sarah on this new masterpiece!
A few tips for the chickpeas
Here we’ve provided a few methods for cooking the chickpeas in this Instant Pot hummus. You can cook lots of chickpeas, or just enough for this hummus. You can also soak the chickpeas to decrease the cook time and make for more tender chickpeas.
Cook just enough for the hummus. In the instructions below we’ve provided instructions to cook just enough chickpeas for the hummus recipe. This is great if you’re not sure whether you’ll use the rest of the chickpeas.
Make 1 pound chickpeas. You can cook up to 1 pound of chickpeas at one time! If you do this, you can eat the remaining chickpeas or freeze them for up to 3 months. Go to Instant Pot Chickpeas.
Soak if you have time. If you have time to soak the chickpeas over night, even better! Soak 1 pound chickpeas with 8 cups water for 10 to 12 hours. Then you can reduce the cook time to 20 to 25 minutes.
Ingredients for Instant Pot hummus
Once you’ve cooked the chickpeas, this Instant Pot hummus is a breeze to whip up! You’ll need a food processor for this task (a blender doesn’t get it smooth enough!). Here’s what you’ll need on hand:
Cooked chickpeas
Garlic
Tahini
Fresh lemon juice
Ground coriander A fun variation on the standard cumin! we loved this
Kosher salt
Olive oil
Water, as needed
A bit about tahini
If you’ve never made hummus before, you’ll need a jar of tahini! Tahini is sesame seed paste that’s most famous for its use in hummus, but it’s used in lots of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean recipes (like lemon tahini sauce!). Since it’s simply made of sesame seeds and salt, tahini is vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, Paleo, keto, and Whole 30 friendly.
If you buy a jar of tahini and aren’t sure how to use it up, we’ve got lots of ideas for you! See our top Delicious & Healthy Tahini Recipes, from hummus to cookies.
More Instant Pot recipes
What else can you make with an Instant Pot? So many things! Alex and I originally weren’t into the pressure cooker trend…until we tried it for ourselves! Here are a few of our favorite ways to use an Instant Pot:
Place the chickpeas in the Instant Pot, cover with 2 inches water, and add the kosher salt. Lock the lid and place the vent in the “Sealing” position. (If you want to cook 1 pound chickpeas at once, go to Instant Pot Chickpeas instead!)
Cook on high pressure 35 minutes (unsoaked) or 25 minutes (soaked): Note that it takes about 10 minutes for the pot to “preheat” and come up to pressure before it starts cooking. Wait while the Instant Pot cooks. (During cooking, avoid touching the metal part of the lid.)
Natural release for 20 minutes: After the Instant Pot beeps, wait for another 20 minutes to let the Instant Pot naturally release pressure. (Tip: We set a timer for this part so we don’t forget!) After 20 minutes, vent any remaining steam by moving the vent to “Venting”, covering your hand with a towel or hot pad. Never put your hands or face near the vent when releasing steam. (The pressure indicator in the lid may drop on its own after 10 minutes, meaning that there is no remaining steam in the pot.)
In the bowl of a food processor, add 2 cups of the cooked chickpeas. (You’ll have a few left over, which you can use for another recipe.) Add the garlic, tahini, lemon juice, coriander, and 1 teaspoon salt. Pulse until smooth, scraping the bowl occasionally.
Turn on the processor and pour in the olive oil until a smooth paste forms, then add water to get to a creamy consistency (we added 10 tablespoons). Process for 3 to 4 minutes until super creamy and smooth. Taste and add additional salt as needed. Store refrigerated for up to 4 to 5 days.
*If you can, soak the chickpeas for 10 to 12 hours the night before. This decreases the cook time and makes for more tender beans. But you can also do it without soaking and cook longer!
Marinated olives are a stunning appetizer or side! Flavored with garlic and lemon, they’re a great finger food for cheese boards or parties. Here’s a favorite party trick of ours that makes a tasty and versatile appetizer in just 5 minutes of hands on time. It’s Marinated Olives! This dish will make an olive lover out of anyone. Using the right olives here results in smooth, rich flavor: not briny or overly salty. The garlic, lemon and herbs make a symphony of flavor! Every time we make these and set them out on the table, people go crazy for them! They’re also great for an appetizer dinner at home: bread, cheese, marinated olives and wine. Here are a few tricks to making the tastiest homemade marinated olives you’ll find (in our humble opinion). The secret: use olives packed in water! Here’s our secret to these marinated olives. Use ripe olives packed in water. They have a rich and buttery flavor, nothing like a martini olive. These olives aren’t packed in brine, they’re simply packed in salt water. It makes for a clean, straightforward flavor: not too tangy, briny or salty. Exactly what kind of olives are we talking about? Use […]
Marinated olives are a stunning appetizer or side! Flavored with garlic and lemon, they’re a great finger food for cheese boards or parties.
Here’s a favorite party trick of ours that makes a tasty and versatile appetizer in just 5 minutes of hands on time. It’s Marinated Olives! This dish will make an olive lover out of anyone. Using the right olives here results in smooth, rich flavor: not briny or overly salty. The garlic, lemon and herbs make a symphony of flavor! Every time we make these and set them out on the table, people go crazy for them! They’re also great for an appetizer dinner at home: bread, cheese, marinated olives and wine. Here are a few tricks to making the tastiest homemade marinated olives you’ll find (in our humble opinion).
The secret: use olives packed in water!
Here’s our secret to these marinated olives. Use ripe olives packed in water. They have a rich and buttery flavor, nothing like a martini olive. These olives aren’t packed in brine, they’re simply packed in salt water. It makes for a clean, straightforward flavor: not too tangy, briny or salty. Exactly what kind of olives are we talking about?
Use medium to large ripe olives that are pitted. Here’s a list of olives to buy for marinated olives: we like the Lindsay brand that you see listed. Look on the package to see if it says “packed in water” or if the ingredients specify.
Use a mix of green and black. This makes a great color contrast.
Avoid stuffed or flavored olives. You don’t want any competing flavors here.
Flavors for marinading
You can use lots of different flavors for making marinaded olives. Here’s what we used, and some other options you can swap instead:
Lemon: Use the lemon rind and lemon juice. Variation: Use orange instead.
Garlic: Slice the garlic to infuse big flavors (no need to mince!). Do not omit.
Olive oil: Olive oil infuses the flavor perfectly.
Fresh herbs: Rosemary and tarragon are our favorites. Variation: Use thyme or oregano.
How to make marinated olives: basic steps
Want to make marinated olives? The hands on part is fast: it takes just about 5 minutes. The longest lead time item is the marinading. Make sure you set aside 2 to 4 hours for the marinading process. Here’s what to know:
Place all the ingredients in a large jar or container. We like using a large mason jar. Cover the top and shake to get everything coated.
Leave at room temperature for 2 to 4 hours. The wait time locks in the flavors.
Refrigerate for several weeks
Once your marinaded olives are ready, you can save them for a few weeks. Leave them in the jar and refrigerate. But here’s a tip: the olive oil will solidify when it is chilled. So make sure to bring the olives to room temperature before serving.
Ways to serve marinaded olives
Now for the fun part: ways to serve them! These marinaded olives are very versatile. They’re an easy side dish for a Mediterranean-style meal (like Italian or Spanish), or perfect for an appetizer spread. Here’s how we like to serve them:
On a cheese board. Add a baguette, sliced manchego cheese and marcona almonds, and you’ve got a simple cheese board that doubles as dinner for two.
There are so many types of olives and ways to incorporate them into recipes! Here are some of our favorite olive recipes:
Kalamata Olive Spread Want to up your sandwich game? This Kalamata olive spread (also called tapenade), is used in Italian cuisine to add big flavor to crostini and sandwiches.
Pasta Puttanesca This classic Italian pasta puttanesca recipe features garlic, capers and olives in the sauce to give it a tangy burst of flavor.
This marinaded olives recipe is…
Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.
4 rosemary or tarragon sprigs, plus additional for serving if desired
Instructions
Drain the olives. Peel and thinly slice the garlic. Cut 4 strips from the lemon peel, then squeeze out 1 tablespoon of the juice.
In a 1 quart jar or covered container, combine all ingredients and shake gently to combine.
Marinate for 2 to 4 hours at room temperature, shaking occasionally. Serve immediately, garnishing with additional rosemary sprigs if desired. Stores refrigerated for several weeks; allow to come to room temperature prior to serving.
Category:Appetizer
Method:Marinated
Cuisine:Italian inspired
Keywords: Marinated olives
More vegan appetizers
These marinaded olives are a fantastic plant based appetizer. Here are a few more vegan appetizer recipes we love:
Homemade Hummus Creamy hummus is always great for parties: and making it homemade is even better!
Crispy Roasted Chickpeas The perfect crunchy, salty snack! This would go well in an appetizer spread with the olives.
Honestly, I didn’t know green beans could be this good. Inspired by a classic French recipe (haricots verts amandine), this green bean recipe features buttery toasted almonds,…
Honestly, I didn’t know green beans could be this good. Inspired by a classic French recipe (haricots verts amandine), this green bean recipe features buttery toasted almonds, tender shallot and a squeeze of lemon.
I hope this recipe title caught your attention, because these green beans will be the standout on any plate. I have to stop myself from eating the whole pan myself, and I never thought I’d say that. Give me the choice between this dish and green bean casserole, and there’s no contest. Green beans amandine for the win.
This side dish is simple enough for weeknight dinners, but fancy enough for the holidays. I wrote the recipe to yield enough for about four people. You can very easily double the recipe for a crowd as long as you use a Dutch oven to contain the beans.
Haricots verts amandine translates to “almond green beans.” It’s often anglicized to “green beans amandine,” which then mistakenly turns into “green beans almondine.” I can see why, but I attended too many years of French class not to point this out!
I can’t say I remember eating these green beans during my semester in Bordeaux, France. Just one more excuse to go back when we can. I’ve tested these ingredients and techniques over and over again so you can enjoy this dish at home.
You won’t need to bother blanching the green beans—this dish magically comes together in one skillet. The recipe requires a bit of patience and some stirring, but it’s 100 percent worth the effort. Keep this recipe handy, because it goes with just about everything!
These crispy Greek fries are the ultimate side dish! They’re showered with Mediterranean-style toppings: feta cheese, onion and herbs. Sure you can eat French fries with ketchup…but what’s the fun in that? Here’s a unique way to dress up your fries, Mediterranean style. Make homemade Greek fries! These crispy Yukon gold taters are thin sliced and baked with a homemade seasoning blend starring oregano, garlic and dill. Out of the oven, they’re showered with feta cheese crumbles, fresh parsley and red onion, which add just the right Greek-style vibe. Better yet, serve them with lemon dill sauce for dipping! They’re the best pair for a falafel burger or baked shrimp. Let’s get cooking! What are Greek fries? What are Greek fries? Are they authentic to Greek cuisine? Well, yes and no. The authentic Greek-style French fries that you’d get at a restaurant are called Patates Tiganites (here’s an authentic recipe from a Greek recipe writer). These are thick-cut potatoes, usually a waxy potato like Yukon gold, fried and topped with dried oregano. You’ll also find that Greek or Mediterranean restaurants may make French fries and top them with feta cheese and herbs. Some restaurants in Greece even serve them this […]
These crispy Greek fries are the ultimate side dish! They’re showered with Mediterranean-style toppings: feta cheese, onion and herbs.
Sure you can eat French fries with ketchup…but what’s the fun in that? Here’s a unique way to dress up your fries, Mediterranean style. Make homemade Greek fries! These crispy Yukon gold taters are thin sliced and baked with a homemade seasoning blend starring oregano, garlic and dill. Out of the oven, they’re showered with feta cheese crumbles, fresh parsley and red onion, which add just the right Greek-style vibe. Better yet, serve them with lemon dill sauce for dipping! They’re the best pair for a falafel burger or baked shrimp. Let’s get cooking!
What are Greek fries?
What are Greek fries? Are they authentic to Greek cuisine? Well, yes and no. The authentic Greek-style French fries that you’d get at a restaurant are called Patates Tiganites (here’s an authentic recipe from a Greek recipe writer). These are thick-cut potatoes, usually a waxy potato like Yukon gold, fried and topped with dried oregano.
You’ll also find that Greek or Mediterranean restaurants may make French fries and top them with feta cheese and herbs. Some restaurants in Greece even serve them this way. There’s no real “authentic” definition to what exact toppings go on Greek fries. So our recipe for Greek fries is a spin on Mediterranean flavors and the style of fries we enjoyed while traveling in Santorini.
Use a waxy potato, like Yukon gold
Standard French fry recipes use russet potatoes, to get that fluffy on the inside texture that restaurant fries have. But in our research, we found that Greek fries recipes use a waxy potato like Yukon gold. This has a smoother texture on the interior, with a bit sweeter flavor. It definitely tastes like a different type of French fry! Use this type of potato if you can find it: but russet potatoes work just as well.
The seasoning for Greek fries: a homemade blend!
Another thing that makes this Greek fries recipe special: our homemade Greek seasoning blend! This blend features dried herbs and spices that are often used in Greek cuisine. These seasonings really make the dish! Make up a batch and you’ll have leftover to use in other recipes: we love it sprinkled over potatoes, sauteed vegetables, and fish. Here are the ingredients you’ll need:
Dried oregano
Dried dill
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Salt and black pepper
Toppings for Greek fries
The toppings in these Greek fries are what make it shine! Here are the fry toppings you’ll need to add the Mediterranean-style flair to this recipe:
Feta cheese crumbles: As you crumble them, break them into smaller pieces with your fingers. Very large chunks won’t stick to the fries.
Red onion: If you don’t like spicy red onion, rinse the chopped onion a few times first, then drain completely. This helps to soften the flavor.
Fresh parsley: Curly parsley is the way to go if you can find it: it brings the best Greek flavor like in our quinoa tabbouleh. If all you can find is flat leaf or Italian parsley, that works too!
Sauces for dipping Greek fries
The last element to these easy homemade baked French fries that adds a Greek vibe is the dipping sauce! We have a few different sauces that would work well here. Pick from the following:
Lemon dill sauce: Top pick! This Lemon Dill Sauce has a mix of Greek yogurt and mayonnaise, which makes it ultra savory and perfect for fries.
The part of making these healthy Greek fries with the most technique is cutting the fries! There are two methods you can use: hand-cutting or using a fry cutter. Here’s what to know about how to cut fries by hand:
Make a base: Slice off the ends of each potato, then slice off part of the side to make a base.
Cut planks, then strips: Place the potato half cut side down and cut off a 3/8-inch slice, then lay the slice on its side and cut it into several long 3/8-inch wide strips. Repeat until all potatoes have been cut into fries!
A shortcut? You can use a fry cutter! It’s rather large so you’ll need to have good storage space. But it works like a charm! Here’s a link to the French fry cutter we use.
Tips for making Greek fries perfectly crispy
Last up: how to make these Greek fries perfectly crispy? Here are a few of the tips we use to make a crispy baked fry:
Soak the fries 10 minutes while the oven preheats. This gets the perfect soft inside and crisp exterior.
Use parchment paper. This helps with clean-up and makes for crispy bottoms. Don’t use a silicon baking sheet, or they’ll get too soggy.
Space apart as much as possible, keeping them in a single layer. No stacking! You need maximum space around each fry to get them crispy (even better, use a “half sheet” baking sheet that’s large enough to fit the entire oven rack).
And that’s it! We hope you love these Greek fries as much as we do!
This Greek fries recipe is…
Vegetarian and gluten-free. For vegan, plant-based and dairy-free, use dairy-free feta crumbles.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Evenly space the oven racks to ensure even cooking.
Meanwhile, cut the potatoes into fries: (Watch this video or use a fry cutter.) Wash the potatoes, leaving the skins on. Slice off the ends of each potato, then slice off part of the side to make a base. Place the potato half cut side down and cut off a 3/8-inch slice, then lay the slice on its side and cut it into several long strips. Repeat until all potatoes have been cut into fries. The pieces can be uneven, but aim for as uniform of thickness as possible. See the video for full instructions!
Soak in cold water (10 minutes): Place the cut fries into a medium bowl and rinse with cold water until water is clear. Then fill the bowl with cold water and allow to rest for 10 minutes (while the oven preheats). Then drain the potatoes and dry them thoroughly with a clean dish towel.
Season the fries: Add the fries to a dry bowl and toss them with the olive oil, Greek seasoning and kosher salt. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Spread the fries in straight lines on the paper, placing them as far apart as possible.
Bake: Bake the fries for 20 minutes. Take them out of the oven and carefully flip each fry. Return to oven (reversing the pans on top and bottom racks). Bake additional 8 to 10 minutes until they are crisp and golden brown, watching carefully as the bake time depends on the fry thickness and your oven. (If the majority of the fries seem soft, continue to bake a few more minutes.)
Season: Taste and add a few more pinches salt if desired.
Garnish: Transfer fries to a platter and top with the feta cheese crumbles, breaking larger chunks into small pieces with your fingers. Add the finely chopped parsley and red onion. Serve with lemon wedges and tzatziki or lemon dill sauce.
Notes
*This makes a good amount of fries, but much less than a restaurant portion (that’s as intended!). The largest quantity of fries that fits on two baking sheets is 2 pounds, you can increase to that much if desired (adjust seasonings accordingly).
This butternut squash, kale, rosemary and goat cheese quiche is easy to make and full of the best sweet and savory seasonal ingredients. This butternut quiche, you guys. ♡ I made it for the first time a few weeks ago as a bit of a clean-out-the-crisper-drawer recipe when cooking brunch for friends. (Along with my […]
This butternut squash, kale, rosemary and goat cheese quiche is easy to make and full of the best sweet and savory seasonal ingredients.
This butternut quiche, you guys. ♡
I made it for the first time a few weeks ago as a bit of a clean-out-the-crisper-drawer recipe when cooking brunch for friends. (Along with my fave pumpkin bread, winter fruit salad, and a round of mimosas, yum.) But this quiche ended up being my surprise new favorite of the meal. And it couldn’t be more perfect for autumn!
I happened to have half of a butternut squash leftover in the fridge at the time, so I diced it up and sautéed it with some scallions and garlic to form the base for the quiche filling. Then to that combo, I added in few handfuls of chopped kale and a generous sprinkling of chopped fresh rosemary. I’m also always a big fan of butternut and goat cheese paired together, so I crumbled in a bunch of cheese to give the quiche some of that signature earthy tang. (Or if you’re not a fan of goat cheese, you could easily swap in feta, cheddar or gouda.) And once everything baked up together in a buttery flaky pie crust with creamy eggs, oh my goodness, this quiche was autumn brunch perfection.
We’ve made it again twice since that weekend and our friends and neighbors have given it rave reviews. So I wanted to pop on quickly and share it here with you too, especially while butternut squash is still in season. Clearly, we’re big fans of serving this butternut quiche for weekend brunch, but it would also be a great recipe to bookmark for the holidays ahead too. You’re going to love it! (more…)
As a vegetarian for over a decade, I’ve eaten quite a few veggie pizzas. Truly fantastic veggie pizzas are few and far between. So, I combined all of the elements I’ve enjoyed over the years to create my own “ultimate” veggie pizza pie. This is the best homemade veggie pizza I’ve ever had, and I hope you’ll say the same!
This vegetarian pizza recipe will delight vegetarians and carnivores alike. It’s fresh and full of flavor, featuring cherry tomatoes, artichoke, bell pepper, olives, red onion and some hidden (and optional) baby spinach. You’ll find a base of rich tomato sauce and golden, bubbling mozzarella underneath, of course.
The trick with loaded veggie pizzas, as many pizza shops seem to forget, is that they require a few extra minutes in the oven to develop full flavor and structure. Don’t stop baking until the cheese is deeply golden in spots. Otherwise, you might end up with floppy pizza that doesn’t live up to its true potential.
Start with my easy whole wheat pizza dough, and this recipe is ready in about 45 minutes, start to finish. This veggie pizza is quicker and healthier than delivery!
We’re going back to Sicily! Pasta alla Norma is a delicious Sicilian pasta dish with eggplant, marinara and basil. I’m excited to introduce you to this dish…
We’re going back to Sicily! Pasta alla Norma is a delicious Sicilian pasta dish with eggplant, marinara and basil. I’m excited to introduce you to this dish because it is a completely satisfying vegetarian dinner. I’m craving a bowl as I type.
Most pasta alla Norma recipes are made with fried eggplant, but this recipe features roasted eggplant. Eggplant really absorbs oil like a sponge, so this lightens up the dish. Another plus? Roasting eggplant is easier and less messy.
I further lightened this classic recipe by using more eggplant and less pasta, so this dish won’t put you to sleep. It’s nice and saucy, just the way I like it.
I don’t speak Italian, so I first assumed that “norma” meant eggplant. Not the case! Norma is capitalized because she’s a lady. Or an opera, depending on how you look at it.
Here’s the backstory: Pasta alla Norma comes from Catania, a city on the eastern coast of Sicily. Catania is the hometown of Vincenzo Bellini, an Italian opera composer who lived in the early 1800s. One of Bellini’s most famous operas, Norma, is named after its lead character.
Folklore has it that playwright Nino Martoglio, after his first bite of this pasta dish, exclaimed, “Chista è ‘na vera Norma!” (“This is a true Norma!”) That’s quite a compliment.
Prep Time:
Yield:
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe 
Category:
Method:
Cuisine:
